See-through cosmetic package

ABSTRACT

This invention relates to a cosmetic package of the type including a backing card and a transparent cover sheet spaced at least partially away from the backing card to provide a chamber for the cosmetic compact being displayed, an improvement enabling the visual observation of the actual color and shade of the cosmetic which comprises: a cosmetic compact disposed in said chamber with said cover adjacent said transparent cover sheet, said compact including a base and cover being molded from resilient plastic material and hingedly connected the one to the other, said cover being movable between an open and a latched position, said base with a substantially symmetrical outer surface to that of said cover, said base having a centrally disposed, cosmetic-receiving cavity with the perimeter of the opening being equally spaced inwardly from the edge of the base, said compact cover with a transparent portion for viewing said cosmetic-receiving cavity and, on the interior thereof, a mirrored surface permitting non-distorted viewing; a cosmetic disposed in said cosmetic- receiving cavity; and, a protective liner covering the opening of said cosmetic-receiving cavity.

United States Patent 91 Kingsford SEE-THROUGH COSMETIC PACKAGE [75] Inventor: Ted I. Kingsford, Memphis, Tenn.

[73] Assignee: Plough, lnc., Memphis, Tenn.

[22] Filed: Jan. 14, 1974 211 App]. No.: 433,428

Primary ExaminerG. E. McNeill Attorney, Agent, or FirmVincent H. Gifford; Bruce M. Eisen; Stephen B. Coan ABSTRACT This invention relates to a cosmetic package of the xsvxmm gl llllllllll 1 [4 1 Oct. 14, 1975 type including a backing card and a transparent cover sheet spaced at least partially away from the backing card to provide a chamber for the cosmetic compact being displayed, an improvement enabling the visual observation of the actual color and shade of the cosmetic which comprises: a cosmetic compact disposed in said chamber with said cover adjacent said transparent cover sheet, said compact including a base and cover being molded from resilient plastic material and hingedly connected the one to the other, said cover being movable between an open and a latched position, said base with a substantially symmetrical outer surface to that of said cover, said base having a centrally disposed, cosmetic-receiving cavity with the perimeter of the opening being equally spaced inwardly from the edge of the base, said compact cover with a transparent portion for viewing said cosmeticreceiving cavity and, on the interior thereof, a mirrored surface permitting non-distorted viewing; a cosmetic disposed in said cosmeticreceiving cavity; and, a protective line-r covering the opening of said cosmetic-receiving cavity.

8 Claims, 6 Drawing Figures U.S. Patent Oct. 14, 1975 3,911,936

SEE-THROUGH COSMETIC PACKAGE This invention relates to a display package for cosmetics and the like, and more particularly to cardmounted packages commonly mounted on point-ofpurchase display racks.

The cosmetics described herein are those in solid form, such as pressed cakes of facial powders and newly developed blushers and facial cream preparations. The latter products have previously been marketed in forms such as shallow ointment jars or the like.

ln recent years there has been a proliferation of cosmetics that have various degrees of sheen o'r gloss which are recommended for application under specific lighting conditions. Thus it has become important to the consumer to be able to observe not only the color and shade, but also the surface appearance of the cosmetic preparation. Therefore, the product packaging requires visibility of the cosmetic product or a replica thereof to facilitate selection from a product display or from an individuals collection.

Recent trends in marketing of cosmetics has lead to the use of displays in the form of rack-mounted, blisterpackaged cards in department stores, drug stores, supermarkets, and specialty shops. The rack mounting of cosmetics fulfilled a two-fold purpose of maintaining the display on a more visible, harder-to-pilfer card and maintenance of products in an unopened, sanitary condition. Incidental to the latter is the freeing of the retailer from excessive waste resulting from customers sampling various cosmetics or otherwise tampering with cosmetic packaging. Blister-packaged cosmetics have an advantage in that the card to which the blister is attached forms an appropriate medium for graphically attractive promotional and instructional matter. Additionally, such cards permit the imprinting thereon ofa declaration of ingredients with the requisite prominence and conspicuousness as regulated by governmental administrative bodies. Such a blister package meets requirements of existing regulations, while satisfying the manufacturer who wishes to maintain his product in a simple, decorative container.

To solve the problems of product visibility, contamination, pilferage, and labeling, while maintaining economy of package'design, this invention describes a cosmetic package having an inexpensive, slim compact with the cover including a window for viewing the product and a mirror for use during application of the cosmetic. Many schemes for compact arrangements have been described in the prior art; however, relatively few of these have been so economic in nature as to be disposable upon depletion of their contents.

In the prior art many patents have issued to particular aspects of cosmetic compact construction and the ornamentation thereof. In the past, several patents were issued for compacts having a decorative insert and/or mirrored surface material, e.g. Wickel, British Pat. No. 294,463; Snow, British Pat. No. 1,279,237; Pepin, U.S. Pat. No. 2,421,646; Casalino, U.S. Pat. No. 2,438,841; Winter, U.S. Pat. No. 2,464,956; and Adler, U.S. Pat. No. 2,497,752, and for windows providing a seethrough feature, e.g. Pennock, U.S. Pat. No. 1,747,318; and Stephens, U.S. Pat. No. 1,945,792. However, none of the patents in the aforementioned prior art adapt themselves to the herein-described inexpensively constructed combination suited for blister packaging.

In broad terms, this invention describes'a cosmetic package comprising at least one cosmetic preparation; housing means having at least one cavity for containing said cosmetic preparation; and a cover hingedly mounted on said housing means being movable between an open position and a closed latch position characterized by said cover having a transparent portion for viewing said cosmetic preparation and having a mirrored surface on the interior thereof permitting non-distorted, reflective viewing and the exterior surface portion corresponding to said mirrored surface providing a decorative area.

More specifically, the cosmetic package of this invention includes a display card adapted for rack mounting. Attached to the card by a blister of transparent plastic sheeting is a compact including housing means and cover of inexpensive construction providing at least one cavity for housing the aforementioned cosmetic preparation. The compact cover is formed in part from a transparent material so that the color and shade of the cosmetic can be observed through the blister and window, and additionally the cover has another portion, the interior of which has thereon a mirrored surface; and the exterior, a decorative area.

For the purposes of this specification the terms cosmetic preparation and solid cosmetic refer to those cosmetics normally produced in solid form, such as pressed cakes or facial powders and those newly developed blushers and facial cream preparations that are non-flowing under normal ambient conditions. These terms specifically include cosmetic items which may be referred to elsewhere as semi-solid. Additionally, the term mirrored surface refers to not only the conventional glass minor but also to reflective surfaces providing non-distorted viewing such as provided by metal foils and electrolytic or electroless plating deposits of metals.

In the embodiment shown herein the compact also includes a protective liner held between the cosmetic preparation and the mirror. The liner is made of a material of sufficient drape so as to be readily locatable in position upon insertion by high-speed, assembly-line equipment. Recesses so holding the liner in position are formed in both the compact base and cover. The recess in the base runs peripherally about the cosmeticreceiving cavity, and in the cover, the recess is located in an opposing position. The recesses also serve to remove excess plastic material from the base and cover so as to conserve moldable plastic material required for each compact. Included in the molded design is a dual seal arrangement preventing the outflow of particulate cosmetic into the users purse or pocket. An inner seal that is adjacent to the cosmetic cavity is formed integrally with the compact base and cover by having the cosmetic cavity wall extended so that it terminates in a plane above that of the mating surface at the outer edges of the base and cover. The outer edge of the cavity wall slants downwardly into the recess, and a correspondingly shaped bead depends downwardly from the cover. Upon closure of the compact the bead of the cover is held against the outside of the cavity wall. Further, the seal may consist of additional downward depending material which would contact the extended wall or rim of the cavity on the inner portion thereof. Thus, while maintaining the rim in a smooth noncosmetic retaining shape, the inner seal becomes an interlocking structure. The remaining portion of the dual seal arrangement is formed by the compressive mating of the flat flanges outward of the protective-linerretaining recesses. These flat areas are sufficiently precisely positioned so that latching of the resilient plastic material of the base and cover hold the one sealingly against the other.

The invention itself, however, will be best understood from the following detailed description of certain speciflc embodiments when read in connection with the accompanying drawings in which:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a fully assembled cosmetic package of this invention;

FIG. 2 is an exploded perspective view of FIG. 1 showing the relationship of the cosmetic compact to the other elements thereof;

FIG. 3 is a perspective view cosmetic compact of FIG. 2 in an open position;

FIG. 4 is an enlarged transverse section taken along line 4-4 of FIG. 2, as seen in the direction of arrows;

FIG. 5 is an enlarged partial cross-section of FIG. 4 for showing the sealing arrangement of the cosmetic compact; and

FIG. 6 is a view similar to FIG. 3, but shown with the protective liner removed, which constitutes a modification of the cosmetic compact shown therein.

Referring to the drawings in detail, wherein like numerals indicate like elements, there is shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 a cosmetic package in accordance with the present invention designated generally as 10. The package is sealed onto a backing card 12 by adhering thereto a transparent plastic sheet or blister 14. The plastic sheet 14 is molded or formed in a manner causing a portion thereof to be spaced partially away from backing card 12 and forming a chamber for holding cosmetic compact 16 and like articles. Cup-like member 18 is for the accommodation of powder puff or cosmetic applicator 20 and is provided during assembly of package for convenience in handling on high-speed packaging equipment cup-like member 18, puff and compact 16. The card 12 may be a cardboard member with surfaces suited for printed promotional and instructional matter or laminable therewith.

The compact 16, as shown more clearly in FIG. 3, is provided with a cover 22 connected to base 24 by hinge means 26, such as the conventional hinge 26 and hinge pin (not shown) arrangement employed herein. The cover 22 is held in a closed position by the resilient mating oflatch 28 with detent or groove 30. In the periphery of both the base and cover and for the retention of protective liner 32, there is provided a base recessed area 34 and a cover recessed area 36, which recesses maintain the position of liner 32 over cosmeticreceiving cavity 38. The cover 22 is provided with a transparent portion, a mirrored surface and a decorated surface. As the embodiment shown in FIGS. 2 and 3 and the cross-sectional details of FIG. 4 reveal, the mirrored surface is here a glass mirror 40, attached to mirror cavity 42 on the interior of cover 22. The exterior of cover 22 correspondingly to the interior mirror cavity 42 is provided for a decorative panel 43. Likewise the window 44 is separately inserted in window flange 46. While shown in the detail drawing as step-like flange 46 having a corresponding step-wise window portion 44, any of a number of acceptable means can be employed.

The cosmetic preparation 48 is loaded into cosmeticreceiving cavity either directlyas in the case of creams and low-melting-point solids-or indirectly as with pressed powder and the like. Typically, a pressed powder cosmetic 48 is formed in cosmetic cannister 50 which is in turn press-fitted into or adhesively applied to cavity 38.

The sealing arrangement of the compact 16 is integrally incorporated into the structure of the base 24 and cover 22 and is provided herein as an inner and an outer seal shown in FIG. 5. With the use of resilient materials, the outer seal is formed by arranging a flat outer base flange 52 and a similarly shaped outer cover flange 54 for being urged in a compressive relationship upon cover latch 28 engaging detent 30. The inner seal is comprised of mating of the upwardly extending cavity wall 56 and the descending cover bead 58 encircling window flange 46 and mirror cavity 42. In such manner, the inner seal is constructed by the close fitting of the surface 60 of inner base seal against or in proximity with surface 62 of inner cover seal or by interlocking of the two by interlocking bead 64 for fitting against or in proximity with the uppermost interior portion of cavity wall 56.

In a second embodiment shown in FIG. 6, compact 66 is adapted for containing two complementing cosmetics. Here compact 66 is provided with a cover 72 connected to base 74 by hinge 76. The cover 72 is held closed by provision for resilient mating of latch 78 with detent or groove 80. The opening of cosmetic-receiving cavity is covered by protective liner 82, in this embodiment an opaque color card for preventing light penetration into such cavity and precluding any deleterious effect thereof. A median divider 84 is provided for sepa'rating the two cavities 88. As in the first embodiment, window 94 is provided in cover 72 for viewing color card 82 and the contents of cavities 88 after removal of such card, and mirror 90 is provided for undistorted viewing during use.

When resilient plastic, injection-molded elements are used, the dies may be so accurately constructed as to provide inner and outer seals described herein without requiring further mechanical aids such as O-rings, washers or the like. The resiliency of the parts and economy of material usage in the disclosed invention is controllable by dimensioning of the recess areas and determining the stiffening effect lent to the cover and base by the addition of the cannister, window and mirror elements.

While specific manufacturing processes are used, in the present invention there is no intention to be limited thereby. For example, it will be noted that the cover has attached to the interior thereof a mirror or mirrored surface. Other manufacturing processes besides that disclosed would provide equivalent mirrored structures, e.g., hot stamping of metal foils or selective plating of plastics. Also it is foreseen that through the processes of selective plating and etching employed with a transparent plastic material, a cover could be formed having a decoratively etched exterior with a window portion and corresponding to the exterior decorative area, a mirrored surface on the inside thereof. Using such processes the compact as shown herein could be constructed from two injectionmolded plastic shells with the one for the cover being further processed by selective plating and etching.

The present invention may be embodied in other specific forms without departing from the essential attributes thereof. The subject matter which the applicant regards as the scope of his invention is particularly pointed out in the appended claims.

I claim:

1. A cosmetic package comprising:

at least one cosmetic preparation;

housing means having at least one cavity for containing said cosmetic preparation; and

a cover hingedly mounted on said housing means being movable between an open position and a closed latched position; characterized by said cover having a transparent portion for viewing said cosmetic preparation, having on the interior of said cover a mirrored surface permitting non-distorted, reflective viewing, and having an exterior surface portion corresponding to said mirrored surface providing a decorative area.

2. A cosmetic package as described in claim 1 further comprising:

a protective liner interposed between said cosmetic preparation and said cover, said liner having an area greater than the opening of said cavity and not exceeding that of said housing means; and

retaining means for said liner peripheral to said cav ity.

3. A cosmetic package as described in claim 2 wherein said retaining means is a first recessed area substantially peripheral to said cavity and said liner is dimensioned so the edges thereof fall within said recessed area when positioned over said cavity.

4. A cosmetic package as described in claim 3 wherein said cover has a second recessed area in a position opposed to that of said first recessed area so as to form upon closure a hollow ring about said cavity, said ring having an oval cross section when intersected by a plane through the center of the ring and normal to that plane in which the cavity opening lies, whereby protective liner is retained independent of orientation of closed said housing means and cover.

5. A cosmetic package as described in claim 4 wherein said housing means and said closure are of resilient plastic and further comprising:

outer seal means for preventing particulate cosmetic preparation escaping from closed housing means and cover, said outer seal comprising a first flange area outward of said first recessed area on said housing means and a second flange area outward of said second recessed area on said cover, said first and second flange areas being compressively held in a sealed condition upon latching said cover against said housing means.

6. A cosmetic package as described in claim 4 further comprising:

inner seal means for preventing particulate cosmetic preparation escaping from closed housing means and cover.

7. A cosmetic package as described in claim 6 wherein said seal means is formed by the wall of said cavity extending upwardly from said housing means, said wall intermediate said cavity and said first recessed area;

a bead peripherally surrounding the innermost portion of said second recessed area said bead upon closure of said housing means and cover depending downwardly to meet said cavity wall.

8. A cosmetic package as described in claim 7 wherein said cavity wall and said bead coact in an inter- 

1. A cosmetic package comprising: at least one cosmetic preparation; housing means having at least one cavity for containing said cosmetic preparation; and a cover hingedly mounted on said housing means being movable between an open position and a closed latched position; characterized by said cover having a transparent portion for viewing said cosmetic preparatIon, having on the interior of said cover a mirrored surface permitting non-distorted, reflective viewing, and having an exterior surface portion corresponding to said mirrored surface providing a decorative area.
 2. A cosmetic package as described in claim 1 further comprising: a protective liner interposed between said cosmetic preparation and said cover, said liner having an area greater than the opening of said cavity and not exceeding that of said housing means; and retaining means for said liner peripheral to said cavity.
 3. A cosmetic package as described in claim 2 wherein said retaining means is a first recessed area substantially peripheral to said cavity and said liner is dimensioned so the edges thereof fall within said recessed area when positioned over said cavity.
 4. A cosmetic package as described in claim 3 wherein said cover has a second recessed area in a position opposed to that of said first recessed area so as to form upon closure a hollow ring about said cavity, said ring having an oval cross section when intersected by a plane through the center of the ring and normal to that plane in which the cavity opening lies, whereby protective liner is retained independent of orientation of closed said housing means and cover.
 5. A cosmetic package as described in claim 4 wherein said housing means and said closure are of resilient plastic and further comprising: outer seal means for preventing particulate cosmetic preparation escaping from closed housing means and cover, said outer seal comprising a first flange area outward of said first recessed area on said housing means and a second flange area outward of said second recessed area on said cover, said first and second flange areas being compressively held in a sealed condition upon latching said cover against said housing means.
 6. A cosmetic package as described in claim 4 further comprising: inner seal means for preventing particulate cosmetic preparation escaping from closed housing means and cover.
 7. A cosmetic package as described in claim 6 wherein said seal means is formed by the wall of said cavity extending upwardly from said housing means, said wall intermediate said cavity and said first recessed area; a bead peripherally surrounding the innermost portion of said second recessed area said bead upon closure of said housing means and cover depending downwardly to meet said cavity wall.
 8. A cosmetic package as described in claim 7 wherein said cavity wall and said bead coact in an interlocking manner. 